A Different Kind of Special
by emerald-nellie
Summary: There are many girls in this world like Samantha Lace. Some learn that they are different the easy way, and some learn the hard way. Sam learned the hard way. This is her story. Sirius/OC
1. Chapter 1

Samantha Lace: a Story for Those who Dare to Dream

**Chapter 1**

Samantha Lace was born and raised in Manchester, England. Never in her life had she experienced being an ordinary child. One of the reasons being her unrelenting segregation from the rest of the little girls that she attended school with. She wouldn't play dress ups with them at recess time and she wouldn't bake cookies at their houses after school. She didn't wear pretty pink dresses and she didn't sit up the front during roll call. Instead, she wore tattered shorts and played in the sand box with the boys. She made sure her mother always cut her hair short and she insisted that people called her 'Sam'.

Though not altogether uncommon, such behavior often sparked vigilance from other parents. Eventually, many of the girls were forbid from playing with her. Not that she minded, of course, but the fact of the matter remained: Samantha Lace was never an ordinary girl.

The main reason for this, however, was not due to her abnormal appearance or her unusual behavior. The foremost explanation was that her parents were a witch and wizard. From a young age, Sam recognized that she too had ability much like her parents. She soon came to the realization that when she was feeling angry or scared, or any other raw and powerful emotion, she could make things happen.

Although they often demonstrated the practice of magic around their daughter, her parents seldom discussed with her the comings and goings of the Wizarding world. They tried, albeit in vain, to give their child a normal upbringing; one away from magic and sorcery. Ironically, this dissociation from the magic world only reinforced her difference.

Consequently, this meant that when, at the tender age of eleven, she was suddenly thrust into the Wizarding community, she was at a complete loss of what to do or how to act.

It was there, standing on that busy platform between nine and ten, that Sam first saw a large group of people like herself. She would soon realise, however, that no matter where in the world she was, what she looked like, how she acted: she would never fit in.

There are many people in the world like Samantha Lace. Some learn that they are different the easy way, and some learn the hard way.

Sam learnt the hard way.

This is her story.

Sam said goodbye to her parents and pulled her trunk towards the large scarlet steam engine. As she walked, her short, shaggy brown hair fell into her eyes. She brushed it away with her hand, her black fingernails trailing across her forehead.

With difficulty, she hauled the over-packed trunk up the steps and onto the train. She made her way through the carriage until she found an empty compartment. She walked in and sat down on the cushioned bench.

For a girl of eleven years old, Sam still had the physique of a young child. She wasn't curvy like some of the other girls, and she didn't have big breasts. She reached about five foot, and had thin arms and legs.

She was wearing an old pair of faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt that had her favourite muggle band on the front. On her feet she wore a pair of red Converse sneakers.

These are all the things that are usually noticed first when looking at a new person.

But when Alice Butler first looked at Sam, she didn't notice any of these things. Whenever anyone looked at her, the first thing they noticed – always – was her eyes.

They are big and round, surrounded by thick, dark lashes, and are the most startling shade of blue. She was used to small children fleeing at the mere sight of her.

"Hey," said Alice as she walked into the compartment and sat down opposite Sam. "I'm Alice Butler."

"Sam Lace."

"Short for Samantha? That's a nice name. Do people ever call you Sammy?"

"No, I hate it. Please just call me Sam."

Sam looked Alice up and down. She was the complete opposite to herself.

She had long blonde hair that was tied in a neat ponytail, and pale blue eyes that sat almost too close together on her round face. She was a small girl and she smiled sweetly.

She was wearing a light, floral skirt and a tight, pink t-shirt. She was wearing blue plastic sandals that reminded Sam of when she was a child.

Alice and Sam were complete opposites. But isn't that what they say, that opposites attract?

"Exploding Snap?" Sam asked and pulled a deck of cards out of her bag.

A few hours later, an ancient woman came around the train with a trolley of sweets and drinks. Sam and Alice both bought some Cauldron Cakes and Chocolate Frogs.

It was when they had almost finished eating that Sam first met the bane of her existence. When the handsome youth came strutting into her compartment, his long, shaggy black hair falling elegantly into a pair of stormy grey eyes, she never thought that she would soon come to hate the mere thought of him.

She didn't know how someone so attractive could be such an absolute nuisance.

"Hey girls. Sirius Black's the name," he said, leaning against the frame of the compartment door. He looked first at Alice and then turned his piercing gaze to Sam.

"Alice Butler," Alice said, "and this is Sam Lace."

"What, doesn't Sammy talk for herself?" Sirius asked with an amused grin.

"Well she does when she has someone worth talking to," Sam countered.

"Oh, ouch. That hurt Sammy," Sirius said, grabbing his heart in mock sorrow.

"Don't call me Sammy, Black."

"Oh, sorry _Lace_. Didn't mean to upset you," he replied insincerely.

Sirius walked over to where Sam was sitting, plucked the Chocolate Frog out of her hand and took a big bite out of it.

"Mmm. Good, aren't they?" he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Anyway, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, ladies, I have to get going. I'll catch you later Alice, Sammy."

Sam sat fuming as she watched Sirius walk over to the door and put the rest of the frog in his mouth. He then winked at her before turning on his heel and leaving the compartment.

"I hate him," Sam whispered dangerously to Alice who sat opposite her, eyes wide and mouth shut.

Does anyone remember those Jelly sandals that everyone had when they were kids? Yeah? No? They were around in the 90's, but I don't see them anymore. Yes, I know that this was well before the 90's, but I couldn't resist putting them in.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sam had been told about the Hogwarts sorting ceremony many times before. Her parents had gone to the school when they were younger and were fond of story telling.

What Sam had _not_ been told about was the irritable old lady that escorted them into the Great Hall. Giants and boats and lakes she could deal with, but grumpy old women?

She was tall and intimidating and wore a pair of spectacles on her nose. Her black hair that was specked with grey was held up in a tight bun. She introduced herself as Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Potter, would you please refrain from interrupting," she snapped at a boy standing somewhere behind Sam.

"Sorry professor," he replied, stifling a giggle.

"As I was _saying_," she continued pointedly, "you will all follow me into the Great Hall through these doors and line up. When I call your name, you will walk up to the stool and put the hat on your head. When, and only when, I call out your name. Now come on, _and no pushing_!"

The large doors swung open revealing a grand room. There were five tables: one for each house and one for the staff that sat at the front.

Sam looked up and saw that the room had no ceiling. Upon closer inspection, she realized that there was in fact a ceiling, but that it mimicked the outside weather.

McGonagall walked to the middle of the hall and placed the stool down on the ground and then the hat on the stool.

The gaze of the older students moved from the new first years to the hat and they all stared at it expectantly.

After a moment, the hat broke into song. It sung first about the school, and then about the four houses.

Sam found the whole song silly and boring. She already knew about the houses. Gryffindor was for the brave, and was the house of her parents. Ravenclaw was for the people who studied all day and had no life. Hufflepuff was for the clumsy and awkward people who weren't very smart. Slytherin was for all the other bastards.

When the song finished, McGonagall started reading out the names.

Sam zoned out until she heard 'Black, Sirius'.

"Blacks go to Slytherin," she whispered to Alice, "and this one acts just like the rest, the bastard."

Sirius sat down on the stool and placed the hat on his head. After a few seconds it yelled out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"See, I told yo- WHAT?!" Sam yelled.

McGonagall gave her a warning glare and Sirius turned to see who had yelled out. When he saw who it was, he smirked and winked at her.

Sam shoved her hands into her pockets and clenched her jaw shut.

She was still fuming when Alice was called up to the hat. She was also sorted into Gryffindor. Until it was her time to go up to the hat, she stood alone in silence.

"Lace, Samantha," McGonagall called off the list.

Sam walked up to the stool and sat down on it. She grabbed the hat and pulled it hard over her heard, blocking out the rest of the hall.

_Another Lace! Hello there, _the hat said in her head. Her parents had told her about that too, so she wasn't startled. _Well there's definitely no other place for you, my dear._

"GRYFFINDOR!" it yelled out to the whole hall.

Sam walked over to her new house and shook hands and high-fived the older students. She took the seat next to Alice and, once the sorting ceremony was over, ate in silent misery.

"First years, follow me!" called a pompous fifth year boy who was apparently the Gryffindor prefect.

Sam grabbed Alice's arm and they both followed him quickly before Sirius and his friends could catch up to her. He had been eyeing her mischievously all throughout the headmaster's speech and it made her feel uneasy.

"This is the Fat Lady. Behind her is the Gryffindor common room. The common room is in a part of the school that we call Gryffindor Tower, which is located in the North Tower. You must speak the password to the Fat Lady otherwise she will not let you in. But if you forget it, don't worry because someone will soon come along and help you through. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear," Sam muttered sarcastically and received a look of disdain from Bartimus Higgins, the prefect.

All throughout the short walk from the Great Hall to the common room, he had been acting like a tour guide, pointing things out and giving little speeches. It was staring to get on Sam's nerves.

"The password is 'Flobberworms' at the moment, but it changes quite frequently. I will let you all know when it does," he turned to the fat lady, "_Flobberworms_."

The portrait swung open and behind it was a circular hole into a very inviting scarlet and gold room. The room was covered with portraits and tapestries and had a fire burning merrily in the grate. Around the hearth was an assortment of squashy armchairs and couches.

On the far side of the room were two staircases.

Batimus walked over to them and all the new students followed.

"Boys, this staircase will lead you to your dormitories, and girls, this one will lead you to yours. You will find a door labeled 'First Years'. That is your dorm. If any of you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to ask me! I am very friendly and approachable and I promise I don't bite."

Sam snorted at his pathetic attempt at a joke. Alice was already walking up the girls' staircase and she followed. They found their dormitory quite easily and opened the door.

Inside were five identical beds with scarlet hangings. There were wardrobes at the end of each and a large window on the far side of the room. A door on the left led off to a small bathroom.

All their trunks and luggage had already been brought up to their rooms and Sam found hers at the furthest end. She sat down on the bed and was about the start unpacking when three more girls walked into the room.

The first had long red hair and beautiful green eyes. She looked intelligent and was thin with a rather developed body.

"Hi, I'm Lily Evans," she said as she walked over to where Sam was standing.

"Sam Lace."

"Are you a pureblood?" she asked.

"Yeah," Sam groaned, not wanting to get into a heated discussion about how purebloods ruled the world. She hated purebloods and pureblood mania.

"Wow. I'm muggle born. You'll have to fill me in on all this magic stuff, I'm still quite new to it."

Sam brightened. Lily's parents were muggles; she didn't know about magic.

"I'll help you out tomorrow," she said, "I really need to get some sleep."

"Ok, but before you go to bed, let me introduce you to some people."

One of the other girls that were sharing the dormitory was Cindy Lee, a sweet Chinese girl with black hair and black eyes. She smiled and laughed a lot. She had moved to England from China when she was young and was fluent in both Mandarin and English.

The last girl was Rose Lewis. She had black hair, porcelain skin and rosy cheeks. She was a little bit taller than Cindy, but not as tall as Lily.

Sam took an immediate liking to all the new girls in her dormitory and introduced them to Alice.

As she lay in bed that night, exhausted but unable to stifle her excitement and sleep, she thought about things. It was then that she decided that she actually liked having girls as friends.

They really weren't as bad as she had once thought. Finally she had friends.

She rolled over and eventually fell asleep, daring the night to disappear and for day to come so she could start her classes and make even more new friends.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Sam woke in the morning, she was very excited. She was not usually a morning person, but as the thin rays of sunlight crawled across her bed, her eyes fluttered open to welcome the new day.

She looked at the trunk that sat at the foot of her bed. It still wasn't unpacked. She reached down and pulled a pair of her school robes out of it. Sitting on her bed, she redrew her scarlet hangings to give herself some privacy while she changed into her clothes.

When she opened the hangings again, she saw that all the other girls in her dormitory were still in bed and very un-ready.

"Good morning," Sam said to the room at large.

Lily greeted her a bit too enthusiastically while Alice, Cindy and Rose just grunted in reply. Obviously they weren't morning people, either.

"Well I'm going to head down to breakfast. I guess I'll see you all down there," she said and walked from the room.

The route from Gryffindor Tower to the Great Hall was a simple one, thank God. Sam didn't want to have to go back to the common room and ask Bartimus Higgins for directions. He had been sitting in an armchair by the fire and when she had come down from her dormitory. He had told her that he was taking all the first years down to breakfast together.

"_I am capable of getting there on my own, thank you," she had assured him._

_Pursing his lips in a way to rival McGonagall, he'd said, "Well if you find that you're not actually as confidant as you feel, don't hesitate to come back and ask me for help."_

"_Yeah, right," she had muttered to herself. Sam Lace didn't ask people like Bartimus Higgins for help._

"Bit of a wanker, isn't he?" said a voice interrupting her thoughts and making her almost jump.

"Uh, what?" she said as she turned to see a boy with scruffy black hair and glasses that she vaguely recognized from dinner the night before.

"That Bartimus Higgins. Almost had a fit when I told him I wanted to go down to breakfast by myself."

"Yeah, he did that to me too. I'm Sam Lace, by the way."

"Well it's very nice to meet you Sam Lace. I'm James Potter," he said, offering a smile, "You know your name sounds awfully familiar."

"You probably just heard it at the sorting, I don't think we've met before."

The two walked down to breakfast together – without any difficulties in direction – and sat down at the Gryffindor table. James started to pile bacon and eggs on his plate, while Sam helped herself to the porridge and some orange juice.

Just as she was about to spoon the first bite into her mouth, an all too recognizable voice floated down the hall.

She groaned to herself and put the spoon back into her bowl.

She heard a pair of heavy footsteps stop behind her. She turned around. Sirius Black was standing before her with a small, fat boy that she didn't know.

"Hey James," Sirius exclaimed, "This is the one I was telling you about!"

"Oh," James said, his face dropping guiltily, "_That's _why your name sounded familiar."

"Wait, this girl here?" asked the fat boy.

"That's right Peter," Sirius replied and began to laugh. Peter and James then joined in.

"Well I don't see what's so funny," Sam said, her eyes narrowing.

"No, you wouldn't hun," Sirius said, only making James and Peter laugh harder.

"Fuck you, Black."

As Sam stormed down to the other end of the table, she could still hear the boys laughing behind her and Sirius call her a 'feisty little one', only making her blood boil even more.

Just as she sat back at the table, far from the three boys, Bartimus Higgins and the rest of the girls from her dormitory walked into the Great Hall. They saw her and immediately headed over.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sam said and pulled a new bowl of porridge towards her.

About halfway through breakfast, Professor McGonagall came walking along the table and handing out everyone's new timetables.

Sam grabbed hers muttering a thank you, her mouth full of toast, and quickly scanned the first day.

"Oh, I have Charms first, too!" Lily said, leaning over her shoulder to get a look at her timetable, "and so does Cindy."

"Alice and I have Herbology," Rose said, looking a bit disappointed.

"Well do you want to get going now?" Lily asked Sam and Cindy, "I don't want to be late on my first day."

They agreed and the five girls made their way out of the Great Hall. In the Entrance Hall, Alice and Rose headed out into the grounds, while the other three made their way up to the charms corridor.

"I think this that is our classroom over there," said Cindy, pointing to a door that already had a boy standing outside.

"Excuse me," Sam said, "is this first year charms?"

"I'm pretty sure it is," said the boy with a smile, "and I'm Remus Lupin."

"I'm Sam. This is Lily and Cindy."

"It's nice to meet you all," Remus said.

About ten minutes later, while she was having a nice chat to Remus, Sam saw Sirius, James and Peter walk around the corner.

Remus turned to see what had captured her attention so intently and saw the three boys.

"Hey guys," he said with a wave.

"Oh, not you too!" Sam exclaimed.

"Sorry, I don't understand what you mean," Remus said looking confused.

"I hate them. I _hate _them. If you're friends with them, then it means I hate you too!"

"Oh, ok. See you, then," said Remus, slightly confused, and walked off to join his friends.

Sam cursed herself. Why did she always have to make friends with _his _friends?

At that moment a short little man opened the door their classroom and all the children filed in. She took a seat between Lily and Alice and rested her head grumpily in her arms.

Sam went to the rest of her lessons that day and learnt a great deal. She talked mainly to Lily and Alice and tried to avoid Sirius and his friends as much as possible.

By the time she got to bed that night, she was exhausted and completely ready to fall asleep.

Sam's first day had gone pretty badly, she thought. But what's that they say? Things can only improve from here, right?

_Wrong._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

**Chapter 4:**

Sam opened her eyes to her second day at Hogwarts: a Saturday, thank Merlin. She pulled the hangings from around her bed and looked around the dormitory. The other girls were all in the process of getting up and ready.

"Good morning, Sam," said Lily as she sat on her bed, tying up her shoes. "We are all going outside to sit by the lake. It's a nice day. Do you want to come?"

Sam rubbed her eyes sleepily. _No_. "Yeah ok, I'll just get dressed."

She reached into her trunk, making a metal note to unpack later that evening, and pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. After she finished getting dressed, she pulled on a pair of old, tattered Converse sneakers.

"Is everyone ready?" Alice asked the room and the other girls all nodded in agreement.

"Let's grab some lunch first," said Lily, "I'm starving."

"Lunch?" Sam said in confusion.

"Yeah, we missed breakfast. Look at the time!" Said Alice, leading the way out of the dormitory.

After a quick, uneventful lunch in the Great Hall, the five Gryffindor girls walked out of the big oat doors and down to the lake. They stopped by a large tree and sat down under its shady branches.

Rose leaned her back against the tree and sighed. "Do you guys miss your old schools at all?"

Sam laughed, "Of course not! I hated my old school, it was terrible."

"Really?" Cindy asked in surprise, "But don't you miss all your old friends? I don't know how I'm going to cope here without mine."

"You have us, Cindy," Alice broke in. "But I _do _know what you mean. I'm going to miss all my friends heaps."

Lily lay down on the grass and rested her head in Rose' lap, her long red hair billowing out around her. Sam sat crossed legged next to them. She hadn't wanted to tell them that she didn't actually _have _friends back home.

"And family," Lily said after a few minutes, "I'm going to miss them heaps."

'Yeah' was the general consensus of the group.

Cindy squealed, "Oh but look what my mum bought for me before I left!" She stood up and twirled around in her bright pink summer dress.

"She bought you that? That's really sweet. It's very pretty," said Alice.

"Oh it really is," Rose agreed, "Look at this! Daddy bought if for me a few days before I came to Hogwarts."

She held out her wrist. On it was a pretty golden chain with charms hanging off it.

For the next half an hour, the girls tittered away about the pretty new clothes they bought before school.

Sam sat on the grass amusing herself with a fallen trig. She didn't have any very nice clothes; she wasn't in to that kind of thing.

Then conversation moved to shoes. Sam groaned inwardly.

"Sam, did you forget to bring a pair of nice summer shoes?" Rose asked, sympathetically.

"What?" Sam replied, startled at being addressed on such a topic.

"You're wearing those dirty old trainers, she asked if you forgot to bring some sandals," Cindy said.

"Oh," Sam looked down at her Converses, "Yeah, I must have left them at home."

Sam didn't like lying, but she didn't like being left out either. She was determined to fit in at her new school.

"Well you could always just owl your parents and ask them to post them to you," Lily suggested.

"Yeah, I'll do that tomorrow." _Bullshit._

"You know," said Lily, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I think that James Potter boy is pretty cute."

Rose, Alice and Cindy squealed in excitement. Sam did not.

"I think Sirius Black is a nice piece of work," Rose said after a minute.

"Oh he sure is a _piece of work_," Sam muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose asked defensively.

"It means that I don't like him. At all."

"Well just because _you_ don't like him, Samantha, doesn't mean that _we _can't," Cindy said. "I think that he's nice. He's very funny, too. He's in one of my classes."

All the girls, bar Sam, giggle about Sirius Black for a few more minutes before the topic of him dropped, making Sam feel a little more comfortable.

"So Lily," Alice said slowly, "would you date James Potter?"

"No!" Lily called, sitting up quickly. "Absolutely not! I only said that I think he's a little bit cute and do you know what? I take that back. I don't think so anymore."

"Oh Lily, why not?" demanded Rose, "You would make such a cute couple!"

"Have you ever had a boyfriend before?" Cindy asked.

"Yes I have, but I don't want one like James Potter. I don't like him."

"Ok, ok. How about the rest of you?" Cindy asked again, "Do you have boyfriends?"

"No, but I did once," Alice said rather shyly.

"I have one back at home. I think I am going to write to him soon and break it off, though. That way I can get a new one here at Hogwarts."

"I've never had a boyfriend," Sam said to the group.

"Never?" asked Alice.

"No, never. What's wrong with that? Have you Cindy?"

"I have one back at home, just like Rose. We are going to see each other in the holidays and breaks."

Sam fidgeted nervously. She didn't want to have a boyfriend and she certainly couldn't imagine _kissing _a boy! She was only eleven; there was plenty of time for that later.

The day began to grow darker and colder and the girls began to run out of things to talk about after a whole afternoon of it.

Lily shivered, "Guys, I'm getting cold. Let's head back up to the common room before dinner."

"Guys look at the time!" exclaimed Cindy, "Dinner is _now_! Come on, hurry, we don't want to be late."

The five girls jogged up the sloping lawns, through the Oak front doors, into the Entrance Hall, and into the Great Hall.

By the time they reached it, it was already half full. They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down around some of the older students.

As the mindless chatter continued, Sam stared down at her plate, willing the food to hurry up and appear.

Once the hall was full of hungry and impatient students, Professor Dumbledore stood and made a small speech.

"And now we shall eat!" he called, raising his arms as food magically appeared on all of the house tables and the staff table.

"Great!" Sam yelled and tucked in immediately. She piled her plate with chops and potatoes, beans and carrots. After that was all consumed, she moved onto pudding.

Full, and rather sleepy, she sat back and waited for every to finish eating so she could go to bed.

After dinner, back up in the common room, she was about to go up to the dormitory when she was approached by Lily.

"We are all going to stay down here for a while, do you want to join us?" she asked.

_Tempting, but no._ "I'm really tired," said Sam, "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd prefer to just get to sleep."

"Ok, goodnight then," Lily said and went back to join the other girls by the fire.

That night, as she lay in bed in the empty dormitory, Sam felt slightly left out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

**Chapter 5:**

Sunday passed in the same boring fashion as Saturday.

Monday morning, Sam woke to a loud crash. Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled open the hangings around her bed to see what the disturbance was.

The dormitory was empty.

"I'm so sorry," Cindy's voice floated out from the bathroom.

"Don't worry about it," came Rose's voice, "it was nearly empty, anyway."

Curiosity got the better of her and Sam walked into the bathroom to see what was going on. She found Cindy, Rose, Lily and Alice all standing in front of the large bench and mirror applying make up.

"Morning," Alice said to Sam's reflection in the mirror.

"Hey," she replied, picking up a piece of thick plastic that lay broken at her feet. She turned it over and saw that it had some thick brown liquid along the side.

There was another piece just to her left and she picked it up as well. It had a label on it that said 'Liquid Foundation'. She put the two pieces on the countertop next to Rose.

"Thanks, Sam," she said, "Does anyone know a spell to clean up this mess?" she indicated a puddle of the same brown liquid on the floor.

"Yes I do," said Lily, "I read up about some practical spells before we got here."

She ran back into the dormitory and got her wand from her bedside table.

Back in the bathroom, she pointed it at the ground and said, "_Scourgify_!"

The mess disappeared instantly and Lily was left looking very pleased with herself.

"Sam, if you are going to get ready, you'd better hurry!" Said Rose, "You aren't going to have time to do your makeup as it is."

"That's ok, I don't wear it anyway."

"You don't? Why not?" asked Cindy looking shocked.

"Uhh… Because I don't?" _Idiot._

"We can show you how, if you'd like," offered Alice.

"Maybe another day," said Sam as she walked back into the dormitory to get dressed.

The first thing Sam saw when she walked into the Great Hall that morning was Sirius Black and his friends making a scene at the Gryffindor table.

She groaned.

"Morning, Evans!" James Potter called as the girls approached, "Come sit down."

Lily obliged and the rest of the girls followed eagerly, Sam reluctantly.

Just as she was about to sit down next to Alice, Sirius called out.

"Not you, you're not welcome here Lace."

Sam rolled her eyes and got up to leave.

"Sorry," Alice said, offering her a small smile.

"Don't worry about it."

Sam walked along the table trying to find a free spot. Finally she found one next to a boy she recognized from the sorting.

"Hi," she said as she sat down next to him, "I'm Sam."

"Frank Longbottom," he said.

"You're not friends with Sirius Black, are you?" Sam asked warily.

"Good gracious no. I share a dormitory with him. He's not the nicest bloke in the world, I can tell you that."

Sam smiled a genuine smile. "There's no need to tell me."

"I don't really talk to any of them much. Lupin seems like a decent guy, but he tags along with the others too much. The only time they actually talk to me is to call me names."

"I know exactly what you mean," Sam said, casting a dark look up the table.

She helped herself to some bacon and eggs and some pumpkin juice. Her and Frank talked all throughout breakfast and got along very well.

"What have you got first up?" he asked, as they got up to leave for class.

"Double History of Magic, you?"

"Damn, I've got Potions. Well I guess I'll see you at lunch."

"Yeah, see you then," said Sam and walked up the stairs to her class.

Once she got there, she sat down at a table with Lily and Alice.

"Hey Sam," said Lily, "Sorry about Sirius this morning, he wasn't in a very good mood."

"Yeah," Alice agreed, "But why did you go and sit with that loser?"

"Frank?" asked Sam, "Oh, um, I didn't like him much. He was a bit weird."

"You shouldn't talk to him, it's not good being seen with someone like that," Alice warned her.

Sam sunk down in her chair and rested her head in her arms. Even when Professor Binns started talking, she didn't take any notes or even look up.

She struggled through the morning of classes, not really talking to anyone or paying any attention. When lunch came, she tried to avoid Frank and sat with the other girls. Sirius Black was up the other end of the table, so things went pretty smoothly.

After lunch, she had Herbology. She walked down the front lawns with Rose, the only other girl she knew in the class, and waited outside Greenhouse Three.

Loud laughed announced the arrival of Sirius Black and his friends. They started talking to Rose immediately and ignored Sam altogether.

She walked into the greenhouse and sat at one of the tables by herself.

"Hey," said a voice in her ear. She turned to see Frank sitting next to her.

"Oh hi," she grumbled and threw her thick Herbology book onto the table.

"I didn't see you at lunch, where were you?"

"I was eating with the girls from my dormitory."

A moment passed where neither of them said anything.

"Are you alright?" Frank asked, concern etched over his face.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Sam said meekly.

The professor arrived shortly and the lesson commenced. Their instructions were to do a sketch of the Mandrakes, but they didn't actually get to re-pot them until second year.

Sam looked up from her rather terrible drawing and at Frank. He was a nice guy, and not bad looking either. Not as handsome as Sirius Black or James Potter, but certainly more so than Peter Pettigrew. He was nice enough, too. She couldn't understand why Sirius and his friends picked on him.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, looking up from his parchment, and twirling his pencil between his fingers.

"I was just wondering why those guys pick on you. I can't see anything wrong with you."

He chuckled, exposing his straight, white teeth. "Thanks, neither can I."

"So what do they see?" Sam pressed.

Frank sighed and held up his Mandrake drawing. It was a lot better than hers. In fact, it was excellent.

"You're a good drawer? Is that it?" she asked, her mouth dropping open.

"Well it's a bit more than that. It's a hobby I take rather seriously. I have a book in my dormitory of all my work. Black found it and showed it to his friends. Now they all think I'm a pansy because I'm into art."

"That's stupid."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

They spent the rest of the lesson in silence and after class, returned to the castle together.

That night, Sam skipped dinner and went straight up to bed. She didn't feel hungry. Sam was confused and, to be honest, a little bit sad. Hogwarts wasn't quite turning out how she'd hoped.

But she closed her eyes and fell asleep, convinced that things would pick up eventually.


End file.
